As telecommuting, restructuring, and geographical expansion become more commonplace, so has the need to manage subordinates working remotely from the rest of the team. Yet, the lack of face-to-face contact can be an obstacle to the flow of information and the formation of trust. How to overcome the problems that can be created by physical distance?
01
Create team momentum
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Appuyez-vous sur les sources de motivation individuelles. Exp : Échangez avec chacun sur ses aspirations pour cibler des axes de développement qui y répondent.
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Soulignez les forces sur lesquelles s’appuyer pour réussir. Exp : Mettez en évidence les aptitudes démontrées lors des petites réussites du quotidien.
02
Establish communication routines
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Create routines to compensate for the fact that information doesn’t flow as spontaneously,e.g. Weekly telephone update with a remote subordinate, sending weekly progress reports, etc.
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Establish best practice standards, e.g. Send preparatory information two days before telephone meetings, acknowledge reception of email requests within 24 hours, etc.
03
Mitigate the risk of misunderstandings
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Make sure that the team knows that everyone is treated equally. Ensure that all members are equally visible and involved, particularly those who are isolated.
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Be on the lookout for signs of tension, which may arise more frequently when people can’t communicate their feelings in person.Trigger discussions to allow people to express and manage their doubts and frustrations.
Take action
Set up regular checks with the team members you remotely manage (15 min)
With remote work, a more regular and precise tracking of projects, of the results achieved and of the difficulties encountered is often necessary.
Propose your team worker(s) to plan a regular telephone or skype meeting. E.g.: every week to start with, then possibly less often.
Prepare these appointments by noting the points that you want to discuss. They are all the easier to forget on the phone.
Ask questions to understand how results are obtained, and identify potential problems your team member may face.
Conclude each meeting with planning the next steps and fix the next conference call appointment.
Set clear operating rules for distance working (20 min)
Even more so than for face-to-face, setting up clear operating rules is vital for a good distance collaboration.
Clarify everyone’s roles and responsibilities. When teams are not working next to each other, knowing who does what becomes even more essential.
Define precise communication rules. E.g.: copy everyone on emails, have weekly telephone checks, circulate meeting minutes to share information with the rest of the team, etc.
Respect a strict discipline on the speaking slots. Ensure everyone has the opportunity to express himself, even if the distance or language barrier makes things more difficult. Reformulate the ideas to ensure they are well understood by all.
Plan a “physical” meeting of the entire team (20 min)
Creating bonds between team members who work remotely reinforces the quality of the exchanges and thus the team’s effectiveness.
Identify an occasion for your team to better know each other. Ideally, this would consist in getting all the staff in the same place so that they can spend time discussing in an informal manner. E.g.: during a trade show, a conference or an annual team building event.
If you can’t bring all your team together, find other ways of building ties. E.g.: get your team members to work in tandem on their projects, so that they regularly confer with one another; organize visits between team members.
Practical Tips
> A few tips for facilitating working at a distance (opens in a new window)
> Create a climate of trust favorable to cooperation
Find out more
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